


Close Your Eyes/And Dance With The Devil Tonight

by melliyna



Series: The POW Series [1]
Category: POW (2003)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Other, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-18
Updated: 2011-10-18
Packaged: 2017-10-24 18:01:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melliyna/pseuds/melliyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John has to wait. It's what a good sergeant does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Close Your Eyes/And Dance With The Devil Tonight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bibliothekara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bibliothekara/gifts).



John makes himself wait. Jim could do it but Jim is Jim and more likely to hit someone or explode. John can, at least hold his temper when Attercombe comes back bruised or limping or sometimes hints of something else (he doesn't ask, the Captain doesn't volunteer) or just in silent frustration.

He never lets it show. And the next moment he'll take his tea from John with a word of thanks and goes back to his duties and John wonders, do they know what he does for them and what he bears.

The first time he met Attercombe it was back in training and he was the last thing any of them had expected - utterly well mannered and quiet but somehow, he was no less their leader for not yelling. What did surprise them was that he would be there with them - on exercises, in barracks, encouragingly advocating for alternatives to the horrible food. Somewhere along the line John finds out he has a wife who is a doctor and three small daughters. He's not what John expected in that kind of educated man, as well.

So he makes himself wait for him to come back from Dreiber and makes sure he has a cup of tea and a human voice. Someone needs to watch out for the Captain who isn't Jim Who'll Get Bloody Angry And Hit Things. And damn if John's going to let him return alone.

One night though, it's the first time John calls him Ben. The Captain comes back, hiding the burns but it's Ben the man who collapses on him. John tends the wounds and tries not to think about what else Dreiber has done but from what he knows of Ben's wife, she'd probably help him kill the Kommandant.

The second time, that's after. After the spy hasn't been found and there are frustrations still boiling. John wasn't sure if Dreiber was angry at the lying or angry that Attercombe had offered himself up - John often thinks that Jim was right - dealing with Dreiber is like dealing with a lover with an unpredictable temper. Who could legally have you shot or worse but apparently, gets angry when anyone else does.

When the goons drag Attercombe in unconscious, that's when he calls for Jim. It's a choice between calling him and calling in the camp doctor, which right now, they can't afford to. He's a sergeant, he knows what this getting out would do to the men and he's not having a riot. Not now.

So he calls Jim. Jim who is remarkably calm and collected, considering. They manage to get the Captain cleaned up and bandaged enough to sleep. And John doesn't ask what happened, though he can see Jim thinking the questions in his head and John admits, bloody hell he hopes that Jim can ask and the Captain will answer.


End file.
